Folding arm chair



1961 J. H. CLARIN 2,996,331

FOLDING ARM CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1959 1961 J. H. CLARIN 2,996,331

FOLDING ARM CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1959 United States Patent C) i 2,996,331 FOLDING ARM CHAIR John H. Clarin, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Clarin Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 10, 1959, Ser. No. 819,332 2 Claims. (Cl. 297-38) This invention relates to folding chairs and is more particularly concerned with a folding chair, including arm rests, which is folda'ble between a seat-forming position and a collapsed and generally fiat condition for storage.

Folding chairs have, of course, attained great utility, particularly where temporary or removable seating is desired and wherein a minimum of storage space is available for storing the chairs when not in use. In some instances, it is important that the chairs not only be foldable for storage in a minimum amount of space, but also that the chairs be sufficiently comfortable for the occupant over a prolonged period of use. Most folding chairs are constructed without arms and are designed for relatively short periods of occupancy. However, in the event that a chair is to be occupied over a prolonged period, it is very desirable that arm rests be provided on the chair, in order to thereby afford greater comfort to the occupant.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a folding chair having arm rests, wherein the seat and arm rests are foldable in unison and with a single folding operation. A further object of the invention is to provide a folding chair having foldable arm rests and foldable leg portions, wherein the seat, back, leg portions and arm rests are foldable, as a unit from a seat-forming position to a completely collapsed and generally flat position. Still another object of the invention is to provide a folding chair with arm rests, wherein the arm rests are pivotally connected with the folding leg sections in a manner affording folding movement of the arm rests as the legs are folded together into a generally co-planar position. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the selected embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a folding chair embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view showing the chair in its fully collapsed condition in readiness for storage;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the chair in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 1, with parts broken away in order to more clearly illustrate structural details;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged elevational view taken along the line 55 in FIGURE 4, with parts broken away; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged elevational view taken along the line 66 in FIGURE 4, with parts broken away and in section.

A folding chair 10 embodying the novel features of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings. As

seen particularly in FIGURES 1-3, the folding chair 10 includes a back rest 12 affixed to a U-shape frame 14 providing at its lower extremities a pair of forward legs 16, a seat 18 and a pair of rearward legs 20 which are foldable relative to the U-shape frame 14 about aligned pivots 22 which interconnect intermediate portions of the forward and rearward legs. The back rest 12 and seat 18 may be of any suitable material, but are preferably padded for greater comfort. The U-shape frame 14 is formed from a flat strip of metal with the edges rolled to provide beads 24 on the outer surface of the frame. The beaded portions of the frame act as stiffening means Patented Aug. 15, 1961 and also provide a channel web 26 (FIG. 5) for attaching certain bracing portions, in a manner to be seen. The rearward legs 20 are similarly formed of metal, with the beaded portions facing inwardly to thereby provide a channel section for receiving the flange end portions of a pair of cross brace members 28 and 31 (FIG. 2). The free ends of the four legs are each preferably provided with a molded rubber foot 32 or the like.

The seat 18 preferably comprises a metal frame 34 to which is detachably secured a wood panel 36 (FIG. 4), which supports a cushion 38 of suitably covered foam rubber or the like. The seat 18 is supported on opposite sides, adjacent its rear edge, by a pair of links 40 which are pivotally connected at their upper ends to an upper portion of the U-shape frame 14 and adjacent their lower ends to the metal frame 34 which encircles the seat. The outer free end 42 of each of the links 40 is disposed for engagement with a pin 44 (FIG. 1) projecting from the metal frame and with a cross brace member 46 (FIG. 4) which extends between the intermediate portions of the U-shape frame 14 and which provides the main support for the seat 18 in its chair forming position. The free end of each link 40 engages the pin 44 when the chair is folded into its collapsed position (FIG. 2), and the links 40 engage the cross brace 46 when the chair is eX- tended to its seat-forming position.

Forwardly of the seat supporting links 40, the seat 18 is further pivotally supported at opposite sides by the upper ends of the rearward legs 20, as by pivots 48 (FIG. 1). Thus, it is seen that, as the legs 16 and 20 are moved together about the pivot 22, the upper ends of the rearward legs 20 force the seat 18 rearwardly and upwardly to the collapsed position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Along each side of the chair there is provided a folding arm assembly, which comprises generally the arm rest 50 and an actuating lever 52 which extends downwardly from the arm rest alongside the chair. The arm rest 50 is also preferably a padded construction (FIGS. 46) and includes a metal frame 54 having suitably attached thereto on its underside a downwardly facing, elongated channel-like member 56 having inwardly turned flanges 58 along its lower edges. The flanges 58 provide a track or slidable guide for the upper end of the arm actuating lever 52. More particularly, the upper end of each lever 52 is provided with a pair of rollers 60 which are mounted on a pin 62 extending transversely through the upper end of the arm actuating lever. The forward end of this channel-shaped member is curved upwardly or otherwise provided with a suitable stop means to prevent movement of the rollers 60 out of the channel. The rear portion of the channel 56 includes a pair of transversely aligned openings for receiving a rod or stub shaft 64 which provides a pivot mounting for movement of the arm 50 relative to the U-shape frame 14. The stub shaft 64 is fixed to a laterally projecting brace member 66 (FIG. 1) disposed within the channel web 26 formed in the side of the U- shape frame '14.

An intermediate portion of the arm actuating lever 52 includes a transverse pivot pin 68 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5) having an enlarged head portion 70 which is disposed on the inner side of the lever. This enlarged head portion 70 is slidably received within an elongated slot 72 formed in a rectangular housing 74 which is suitably secured to the side of the U-shape frame 14. The lower end of the actuating lever 52 is pivotally connected, as by a pin 76, to a bracket 78 which projects from, and is secured to, the rearward leg 2th Consequently, as the chair is folded by effecting forward movement of the rearward legs 20 relative to the U-shape frame 14, the lowermost pivot 76 on the arm actuating lever 52 is moved downwardly and forwardly through a curving path Qand such movement causes the I intermediate pivot 68 to slide downwardly in the slot 72.

'occurs simultaneously, with the movement of the lower ends of the front and rear legs toward each other, and may be readily effected by tilting the chair forwardly until the chair rests entirely on the feet at the lower ends of the forward legs 16 and then applying pressure with the toe or otherwise on the cross brace 30. As pressure is thus'applied, the rearward'legs 20 are swungdownwardly and the pivots 48 thereon cause the seat 18 to move rearwardly and upwardly, as described, whilethe pivots 76 cause the arm rests 50 to swing downwardly to the collapsed position along the side of the U-shape frame 14 shown in the drawings.

The unfolding of the chair is, of course, achieved through a reverse movement of the chair portions, with respect to that just described. This is most easily eifected by resting the folded chair on its rearward legs 20 and grasping the upper edge of the seat '18 from a position at the rear thereof. By moving the seat 18 rearwardly and downwardly, the U-shape frame 14 is caused to pivot about the pins 22 which connect the forward and rearward legs 16 and 20 to again spread the legs. As the lowermost pivot 76 on the arm actuating lever 52 moves closer to the housing 74, it causes the pin 68 to slide upwardly in the housing 7 4, thereby effecting upward movement of the upper end of the lever 52. This upward movement of the upper end of the arm actuating lever 52, coupled with the rearward move'men't'of the back rest 12 and the arm rest supporting stub shaft 64, produces an upward swinging motion of the 'arm'rests '50 to the horizontal position seen in FIGURE 1.

' Although shown and described with respect to a particular embodiment, it will be understood that various modifications might be made without departing from the principles of this invention.

I claim: 1. In combination, a'folding chair comprising front and rear legs pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends,

a seat having its forward portion pivotally connected with the upper end of said rear legs, a pair of links pivotally interconnecting a rearward portion of said seat with an upper portion of said front legs at spaced-apart positions thereon, whereby folding movement of said legs from their extended, seat supporting position causes said seat to move rearwardly and upwardly through an arc defined by said pair of links until said seat is disposed in substantially co-planar relation with said front legs, a pair of arm rest assemblies attached to opposite sides of said chair, each of said arm rwt assemblies comprising an armrest pivotally supported on the side of said chair for vertical swinging movement relative thereto about a transverse axis adjacent the rear of said armrest, an arm rest actuating lever pivot ly mounted adjacent its lower'end on one of said rear, legs, means connecting an intermediate portion of said lever with the adjacent front leg in a manner affording sliding and pivotal movement therebetween, and means connecting the upper end portion of said lever with said arm rest in a manner affording sliding movement therebetween along a path forwardly of said transverse axis, whereby the application of force on the lower portions of said rear legs, in a direction toward the lower portion of said. front legs, provides folding movement of said front and rear legs, provides said rearward and upward movement of said seat, and provides a positive force on the lower end of said arm rest lever to effect pivotal movement thereof to positively move said arm rests downwardly to a folded position wherein said arm rests are disposed in generally co-planar relation with said seat and legs.

2. In combination, a folding chair comprising front and rear legs pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends, a seat having its forward portion, pivotally connected with the upper end of said rear legs, a pair of links pivotally interconnecting a rearward portion of said seat with an upper portion of said front legs at spacedapart positions thereon, whereby folding movement of said legs from their extended, seat supporting position causes said seat to move rearwardly and upwardly through an arc defined by said pair of links until said seat is disposed in substantially co-planar relation with said front legs, a pair of arm rest assemblies attached to opposite sides of said chair, each of said arm rest assemblies comprising an arm rest pivotally supported on the side of said chair for vertical swinging movement relative thereto about a transverse axis adjacent the rear of said arm rest, means defining an elongated channel member disposed lengthwise of said arm rest and on the lower surface thereof forward of said transverse pivot axis, said channel member having opposite flange portions thereof depending from the arm rest and terminating in inwardly turned, co-planar edge portions which are spaced apart to provide a track, an arm rest actuating lever pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on one of said rear legs below the pivotal connection between said legs, means'connecting an intermediate portion of said lever with the adjacent front leg at a position above the pivotal connection between said legs and in a manner affording sliding and pivotal movement therebetween, and means fixed to the upper end portion of said lever in engagement with said track provided by said channel and in a manner affording sliding movement therebetween along a path forwardly of said transverse axis, whereby relative movement of said front and rear legs produces simultaneous movement of said seat and arm rests between a chair forming position with said seat and arm rests disposed generally horizontally and a folded position wherein said legs, seat and arm rests are disposed in generally co-planar positions with said arm rests folded downwardly along opposite sides of said seat.-

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

